African Food and Art

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Congolese Cassava Pondu and Fufu Nosh

French is the official language of the Republic of Congo, in Kikongo the name of this African country favorite dish is named Pondu, in French it is named feuille de manioc, in English it is known as cassava leaf stew.

Congolese cooks combine a mixture of mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, pumkin, palm-oil and herbs, other fresh vegetables such as cassava leaves, fish, bush-meat and goat-meat eaten with a starchy dish called fufu.
Farming Cassava Leaves
Farming Cassava Leaves


Fufu is rolled into golf ball-sized balls, an indentation is made with the right finger and then dipped into a soup, sauce or stew in order to soak-up the flavor .

Cassava is known by many names depending on where you live on this planet; the most common names for cassava are manioc, yucca, yuca, mandioca, and tapioca. Cassava originated from tropical America and cassava was first introduced into Africa in the Congo Basin by the Portuguese around 1558.

Africans eat around 176 pounds or 80 kilograms of cassava per year per person. It is estimated that 37% of dietary energy comes from cassava. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest consumer of cassava in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Nigeria, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Congolese Pondu and Fufu Cassava Nosh
Cooked Congolese Cassava

Congolese Pondu and Fufu Cassava Nosh

 
Congolese Pondu Cassava Recipe

Ingredients
4 handfuls cassava leaves, chopped
3 medium pieces smoked fish
1 medium white onion, diced
1 hot pepper, chopped
1 cup of palm oil
1 large diced tomato


Directions
In a large pot, add oil, and onions over medium-high heat and cook onions until soft and light brown. Add smoked fish, chopped hot pepper then cassava leaves, stir and cover 5 minutes. When leaves are cooked soft or with some bite left in them serve with fufu.

Pounding fufu in the Congo
 Pounding fufu in the Congo

Congolese Cassava Fufu Recipe

Fufu is a staple food common in many countries in Africa. How do you eat Fufu? Simply tear off a small piece of fufu hold it with the tips of your right fingers making a slight indentation to scoop up a small portion of food. 

Ingredients
3 peeled and boiled cassavas
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Water for boiling

Directions
In a large pot place the peeled and evenly cut cassava and cover with water. Boil until soft about 20 minutes. Place the salt, flour, and cassava in a mixer and knead until the consistency of soft dough is achieved. Fufu should be much stiffer than mashed potatoes in texture.

Did you know the Republic of Congo is about twice the size of the USA State of Florida and about 70% of the population of the Republic of Congo lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them?



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